The present invention is a tool and a method for use of the tool to assist in the application of a flowable substance and more specifically, is an actuator for sealing a bag into which the flowable substance is placed to assist in forcing the flowable substance therefrom.
Flowable substances such as mortar are used to fill gaps such as between bricks in a facade. For example in the case of a brick facade that is being built or subsequently pointed, the gap must have mortar, or more particularly masonry cement, forced into the gap to the width of the brick. Generally, the process of filing the gap involves using a trowel to push mortar off a mortarboard into the gap. This process is labor intensive utilizing highly skilled labor and is extremely time consuming.
In addition, as the mortar is pushed into the gap, it is inevitable that some mortar will spill over onto the face of the brick, i.e. a finished surface of the brick that is viewed. Removal of the mortar from the face can be difficult sometimes involving an acid and potentially damaging to the brick as well as the mortar. This cleaning process is not only potentially dangerous but also expensive.
New brick products developed for architectural applications also have gaps that must be filled with mortar. Facade brick mounted on a sheet are one example. Sheet mounted facade brick comprises some number of brick faces, i.e. thin bricks, mounted on a single sheet with proper spacing. Installation of the product involves mounting the sheet to a surface and filling the gaps between the brick faces with mortar. The finished surface is therefore an actual brick face and mortar, and the finished surface cannot be distinguished from a normal brick facade. The placement of the mortar within the gaps has the associated problems discussed above.
Bags have been developed for pushing mortar into gaps. The bags are shaped like a frustum of a cone, i.e. conical with a large opening at one end tapering to small opening at the other end. Mortar is placed in the bag through the large opening and the large opening is folded; e.g., twisted, etc. The folding of the bag simultaneously seals the large opening and puts pressure on the mortar in the bag forcing the mortar to exit the bag through the small opening. As those who have ever used such a bag can attest, forcing the material from the bag requires considerable strength, and it can be difficult to control the outflow of the flowable substance through the small opening.
Based on the foregoing, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a tool and a method of use to overcome the problems associated with the prior art.
The invention is an actuator that facilitates the use of a bag having two openings into which a flowable substance can be placed. More specifically, the actuator is placed across the bag clamping one of the openings shut after which the actuator is progressively rotated whereby the bag rolls up about the actuator putting pressure on the flowable substance therein such that it is forced out of the bag through the other opening. The actuator includes a base that has a body with a handle that has a shape that permits a torque, i.e. leverage, to be applied to the body. The leverage gives a mechanical advantage during rolling to assist in rotating the actuator thereby giving a more continuous and constant pressure on the flowable substance therein for a uniform flow of the flowable substance through the other opening. An arm is attached to the base by a hinge such that the arm and base can be placed generally parallel one to the other and define a slot. The arm is secured to the base by a clasp. In one embodiment, the arm and body are hinged at one end and the clasp secures the other end of the arm to the other end of the body. In this embodiment, the arm, body, and clasp define the slot.
In a mortar applicator, a bag is placed in the slot of the actuator. The bag, which has a large and a small opening and mortar therein, is placed in the actuator such that the actuator clamps shut the large opening of the bag effectively trapping the mortar in the bag between the actuator and the small opening. The bag is designed to hold mortar and the actuator should clamp the bag sufficiently to prevent the mortar from exiting the bag through the large opening. In the preferred embodiment, the bag would only be partially filled such that the actuator could be placed on the bag and rotated through at least one revolution prior to exerting any pressure on the mortar. Therefore, the sealing of the bag to prevent the mortar from exiting the bag through the large opening could be accomplished by the actuator cooperating with the bag folded about it.
It is preferred, but not required, that the bag be conical shaped with two openings making the bag a frustum of cone. The size of the cone as well as the openings is application dependent.
The slot of the actuator should be sufficient to accommodate the entire bag where the clamp is to be placed on the bag. The actuator is advantageously placed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bag. Further, it is preferred that the slot be at least as long as the bag is wide. For a frustum of cone bag, the width of the bag is the distance across the large opening when the bag is laid flat. This will assure that when the bag is rolled around the actuator all of the contents of the bag will receive uniform pressure.
In the method of using the mortar applicator, a bag is obtained having a large and small opening. Mortar is placed in the bag through the large opening and then the large opening is sealed with the actuator. The actuator is then rotated thereby rolling the bag up around the actuator. As the bag is rolled up, pressure is exerted on the mortar therein forcing the mortar to exit the bag through the small opening.
While the present invention has been discussed in the context of mortar, any flowable substance such cement, grout, or plaster could be used. It should be remembered, however, that the viscosity of the flowable substance is application dependent and ideally the viscosity of the flowable substance should be such that the substance is generally forced from the bag as opposed to naturally flows out of the bag, if conditions permitted it.